Join The Rooton Twitter (@TheRoot247) this Thursday as we discuss poverty in America during the White House's "Open for Questions" panel. Follow our live tweets starting at 5:30 p.m. as Valerie Jarrett, assistant to the president and senior adviser; Melody Barnes, assistant to the president and director, Domestic Policy Council; and The Root's Cynthia Gordy take the stage to discuss and answer questions about the American Jobs Act and the steps the act will take "to help more Americans climb the ladder to the middle class," as the report puts it.

Use the hashtag #TheRootWH to ask the panelists questions right from your computer. And tune in to the stream at The Rootand WhiteHouse.gov.

Watch the live stream of The Root's Q&A with the White House on Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m.